Dispensing device for filler material

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a dispensing device for dispensing filler material onto a surface to be filled, said device comprising a main frame and at least one conveying belt guided thereon for delivering the filler material to at least one output portion, wherein both in and against a direction of travel at least one distribution brush is arranged on the main frame behind the output portion for distributing the filler material on the surface to be filled.

The invention relates to a dispensing device for filler material onto a surface to be filled, in particular of sand for artificial turf surfaces.

Artificial turf is more in demand than ever, in particular in the construction of sports fields, because good playing characteristics, easy maintenance and continuous playability are important criteria which an artificial turf can meet. Such artificial turf consists of a complex system of different components. The basis for this is usually a substructure of gravel or asphalt, onto which a damping layer (or elastic support layer) is applied. This ensures that an optimal force reduction can take place on the artificial turf. This force reduction is important for the joints of the players, as artificial turf surfaces which are too hard can lead to joint problems.

Artificial turf is rolled out on this damping layer. The lower region of the artificial turf is usually filled with quartz sand, the upper with rubber granulate. The rubber granulate is used on the one hand for the rolling behavior of a ball, on the other hand it also offers the players a subsurface which yields and is thus at least partially similar to natural turf. This yielding means that the shoes (cleats) of the players have a good “grip,” i.e. a stable connection between the trodden region and the shoe and, during a fall, part of the energy can be absorbed and dissipated into the ground.

Such lawns do not require many care measures. These few are all the more important, because they can extend the life of artificial turf many times over. If, for example, the rubber granulate is regularly brushed and thus distributed, rapid wear of the artificial turf fibers is prevented. Because the fuller the artificial turf is filled, the less the fibers are “attacked,” i.e. damaged or limited in their function. The artificial turf is usually filled with special machines which can distribute and brush in the sand and rubber granulate. This process is particularly important, because if it is carried out incorrectly, an uneven playing field results.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a dispensing device for filler material onto a surface to be filled, in particular of sand for artificial turf surfaces, which ensures a consistently reliable and in particular uniform dispensing of the filler material and which is additionally particularly simply constructed and easy to operate.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a dispensing device for filler material onto a surface to be filled, said device comprising a main frame and at least one conveying belt guided thereon for delivering the filler material to at least one output portion.

In the context of the present invention, filler material is to be understood as any material suitable for incorporation into artificial turf. Of course, this is preferably the aforementioned rubber or plastic granulate. Sands, gravel or mixtures with rubber or plastic granulates are equally encompassed and usable.

An essential point of the dispensing device according to the invention is that a flat conveying of the filler material is achieved by means of the conveying belt and thus a clump formation is largely excluded even before the output of said filler material. This is particularly true if the filler material has been finished in a wet state or has been washed and is still wet. A good overall distribution thereof on the surface to be filled is thus supported.

It is thus provided in the dispensing device that both in and against a direction of travel at least one distribution brush is arranged on the main frame behind the output portion for distributing the filler material on the surface to be filled. The flat distribution of the filler material across the surface to be filled is thereby significantly supported, wherein at the same time a clump formation of the filler material is counteracted in this process.

An advantage of this configuration is that the dispensing device can continuously bear material, i.e. filler material, regardless of the direction of travel and a rotation, for example after processing a track, can be omitted. Processing times can thus be reduced substantially. Processing is thus carried out much more simply, as a rotation of the device can be omitted. The configuration also proves advantageous with limited space allowances, as the necessity of space for the rotation procedure is eliminated.

It is provided in a development of the dispensing device that both in and against the direction of travel at least one raising brush is arranged on the main frame before the output portion for raising the fibers on the surface to be filled. A flat incorporation of the filler material into the fibers or the surface is thus effected, whereby a resting of the filler material on fibers which are potentially pressed flat against the surface to be filled is excluded. This also ensures a better distribution of the filler material across the surface to be filled.

In a further preferred embodiment of the dispensing device, it is provided that the at least one output portion is formed on a deflection roller of the conveying belt. The free fall of the filler material, which has already been flatly aligned by the conveying belt, allows this to be still better distributed, so that the uniform application thereof over the surface to be filled is ensured. At the same time, such a dispensing of the filler material across a deflection roller of the conveying belt is particularly easy to realize and in particular does not require additional parts for directing the flow of materials. In addition to its high reliability, such a simply designed construction is also particularly easy to maintain.

In a further preferred embodiment of the dispensing device, it is provided that a respective output portion is formed on deflection rollers on both sides of the conveying belt. In principle, it is thus possible to apply the filler material to a surface to be filled at both transition points of a conveying belt and thus—through a forward and backward running conveying belt—in two directions of travel of the dispensing device. As a result, the dispensing device according to the invention is particularly easy to handle and, in addition, particularly efficient to use.

In a further preferred embodiment of the dispensing device, it is provided that the at least one output portion has a metering means for the filler material to be dispensed. Such a metering means thus enables a flexibly adjustable dispensing of filler material per surface unit, whereby a defined installation height of the filler material can be exactly obtained. Overall, not only the uniform distribution thereof across the surface to be filled, but also the desired fill height thereof can thus be ensured. In particular, it is also possible here to adjust a circumferential speed of the conveying belt to a moving speed of the dispensing device such that no fill height fluctuations arise.

In a further preferred embodiment of the dispensing device, it is provided that the metering means is formed as a respective slide, which forms an adjustable output gap with the conveying belt. In principle, however, it is also possible to apply funnels or the like of differing widths which, interchanged appropriately, permit a respective volume regulation of the filler material. Nevertheless, a particularly simple construction is possible by means of a respective slide, as few additional parts are necessary in order to enable a completely different output volume with the sole adjustment of a single component.

In a further preferred embodiment of the dispensing device, it is provided that the conveying belt at least partially forms a bottom surface of a funnel-shaped hopper for the filler material. Here, too, a further component is eliminated, which makes the overall construction simpler and also easier. Moreover, it is ensured that the conveying belt is always loaded reliably with filler material, so that no filler gaps arise on the surface to be filled.

In a further preferred embodiment of the dispensing device, it is provided that at least one guide plate is provided for delivering the filler material in the direction of transport of the conveying belt. The continuous feeding of the conveying belt with filler material is thereby also increased, whereby even with a potentially lower loading of the hopper, a uniform filling of the surface to be filled is ensured.

In a further preferred embodiment of the dispensing device, it is provided here that the guide plate is gable-shaped and arranged above the conveying belt. Such a guide plate represents a particularly simple construction, as only a single guide plate is required for delivering the filler material during forward and backward movement of the dispensing device.

In a further preferred embodiment of the dispensing device, it is additionally provided that the guide plate is arranged approximately centrally between two deflection rollers of the conveying belt. In particular, a delivery of equal volume of filler material is ensured here across the surface to be filled during forward and backward movement of the dispensing device, whereby a reliable, uniform filling of the surface to be filled is secured.

In a further preferred embodiment of the dispensing device, it is provided that a grate for filtering and/or loosening the filler material is arranged above the conveying belt. Among the measures already described above for counteracting clump formation in the filler material, the grate—particularly with grate widths which can be adjusted as needed—already contributes to the unclumping of the filler material and to the cleansing thereof during filling of the hopper and/or of the conveying belt.

In a further preferred embodiment of the dispensing device according to the invention, it is provided that the distribution brushes can be driven in a rotatory manner, in particular oscillating about a vertical axis. By means of this driven movement, a particularly uniform distribution of the filler material and a particularly good incorporation thereof into the surface to be filled is thereby effected. An oscillating movement about the vertical axis of the distribution brushes has thereby proved to be particularly efficient.

In a further preferred embodiment of the dispensing device, it is provided that the raising brushes can also be driven in a rotatory manner, in particular oscillating about a horizontal axis. A particularly good flat incorporation of the filler material into the fibers and as a result a still better distribution of the filler material across the surface to be filled is thus ensured. Merely an oscillating movement of the raising brushes ensures here that, for example, fibers which have been pressed flat in all directions are reliable raised again, and the filler material thus never comes to rest on the fibers themselves, but rather always between them.

In a further preferred embodiment of the dispensing device, it is provided here that the distribution brushes and/or raising brushes are height-adjustably mounted on the main frame. This in particular allows different artificial turf surfaces and/or filler materials and/or filler amounts to be worked or processed with one and the same dispensing device. As a result, such a dispensing device can be used particularly flexibly, without experiencing limitations in reliability and ease of handling.

In a further preferred embodiment of the dispensing device, it is provided that the main frame has at least one chassis for the movement of said main frame across a surface to be filled. In principle, however, the main frame may also be formed as a co-moving part, for example on a vehicle. If, however, it has its own chassis, it can thus be moved in a particularly simple manner.

In a further preferred embodiment of the dispensing device, it is provided here that the at least one chassis is self-propelled. Of course, the dispensing device according to the invention may also be movable by hand, but in any case with an appropriate self-propulsion it is particularly simple to use and additionally particularly simple to operate, independent of the carried weight of the filler material.

In a further preferred embodiment of the dispensing device, it is additionally provided that the main frame has a traction device and/or a mounting device, so that it can be pulled by a vehicle or transported theretoward. A weight-reduced design of the dispensing device according to the invention is thus possible, which does not damage the surface to be filled, even with a high loading with filler material.

In a further preferred embodiment of the dispensing device, it is moreover provided that the conveying direction of the conveying belt is parallel or antiparallel to the direction of movement of the dispensing device. Thus, both during movement of the dispensing device in the forward direction as well as in the backward direction, the filler material can optionally be delivered to a desired output portion of the conveying belt, whereby a uniform filling of the surface to be filled is ensured across the length of the dispensing device, even at the point of rotation of a processing track.

In a further preferred embodiment of the dispensing device, it is finally provided that the width of the conveying belt corresponds to a track width of the chassis, or at least 50%, 70% or 90% of a track width of the chassis. A particularly efficient output of the filler material is thus ensured, as a particularly large surface can be filled across a processing track. In particular, however, a less frequent rotation of the dispensing device at the edges of the surface to be filled is also necessary, whereby said dispensing device is particularly easy to handle.

In view of the aforementioned advantages of the dispensing device, this is preferably to be used for filling artificial turf surfaces with sand and/or granulate.

In the accompanying drawings, the invention is shown in schematically in two particular exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal side view of an exemplary embodiment of a dispensing device according to the invention, and

FIG. 2 shows a side view of a second exemplary embodiment of a dispensing device according to the invention.

In the figures, identical or corresponding elements are each identified by the same reference characters and therefore will not be described again unless necessary. FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional side view of a first exemplary embodiment of an inventive dispensing device 10 for filler material onto a surface to be filled, in particular of sand for artificial turf surfaces, which is outfitted with a main frame 11 and a conveying belt 20 guided thereon for delivering the filler material to two output portions 21, 21′. Said output portions 21, 21′ are formed on a left and right deflection roller 22, 22′, at which the filler material falls freely downward either to the left or right depending on the direction of travel of the dispensing device 10 onto the surface to be filled. Metering means 32, 32′ mounted respectively in the vicinity of the deflection rollers 22, 22′, which metering means 32, 32′ are formed in this embodiment as adjustable slides, form a corresponding gap with the conveying belt 20, said gap enabling a volume regulation of the outputted filler material. The filler material, such as sand and/or granulate, is delivered here through a grate 42 to a funnel-shaped hopper 40 and stored therein, whereby the first clumps of the filler material, which is possibly still wet from a washing process, are dispersed. The filler material is delivered to the conveying belt 20 via V-shaped mutually adjoining guide plates 41, 41′ in the respectively selected direction of transport.

If, for example, the dispensing device shown here is moved to the left by means of a traction device 51 via its chassis 50, 50′, the left output portion 21 is active, meaning that the filler material slides along the guide plate 41 onto the conveying belt 20, where it is flatly aligned. It then falls freely downward over the deflection roller 22, where in the direction of travel it comes to lie in front of two successively arranged distribution brushes 30, 30′, which in turn distribute it again across the surface to be filled. The distribution brushes 30, 30′ hereby perform a rotational, in particular oscillating, rotary movement about a vertical axis, which ensures a particularly efficient distribution of the filler material. In sum, a highly uniform distribution of the filler material on the surface to be filled, the fill height of which filler material can additionally be regulated by means of the metering means 32, is thereby ensured via the grate 42, the conveying belt 20, the output portion 21 and the distribution brushes 30, 30′. This applies in the same way for a direction of travel of the dispensing device 10 to the right, in which the output portion 21′ is active, meaning that the filler material is delivered via the guide plate 41′ and the conveying belt 20 to a gap between the metering means 32′ and the conveying belt 20, behind which it falls downward over the deflection roller 22′. Here, with a direction of travel of the dispensing device 10 to the left, the conveying belt 20 moves in a counterclockwise direction, and with a direction of travel of the dispensing device 10 to the right, the conveying belt 20 moves in a clockwise direction.

For processing different surfaces to be filled, in particular artificial turf surfaces with different pile heights, filler materials and/or fill volumes, the height of the distribution brushes 30, 30′ can be designed to be adjustable via a corresponding adjustment mechanism on the main frame 11. In this embodiment, the power supply for the deflection rollers 22, 22′ and the distribution brushes 30, 30′ should originate from a towing vehicle, in order to save correspondingly heavy energy carriers on the dispensing device 10 itself. This allows a significant increase in the volume of carried filler material, wherein the chassis 50, 50′ is designed such that the highest possible maneuverability of this volume of filler material is particularly easy in both directions of travel.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of a second embodiment of the inventive dispensing device 10′ for filler material onto a surface to be filled, which, in contrast to the previously described embodiment, comprises the raising brushes 31, 31′ arranged upstream in the direction of travel from the respective distribution brushes 30, 30′. These are driven about a horizontal axis to the respective direction of travel of the dispensing device 10′ in a rotating, in particular oscillating, manner. For example, a pile of artificial turf is thereby reliably raised before the filler material, for example in a direction of travel of the dispensing device 10 to the left, falls via the output portion 21 onto the surface to be filled between the raising brush 31 and the distribution brush 30. As already described in the first exemplary embodiment of the invention, in a direction of travel of the dispensing device 10 to the right, the output portion 21′ is active, whereby the filler material comes to lie between the raising brush 31′ and the distribution brush 30′. The raising brush 31′ also performs a correspondingly rotationally driven, in particular oscillatory movement about a transverse axis to the direction of travel of the dispensing device 10.

In further contrast to the first embodiment of an inventive dispensing device 10, the embodiment of a dispensing device 10′ represented here further shows a height adjusting device 33, via which the distribution brushes 30, 30′ and the raising brushes 31, 31′ are vertically adjustable on the main frame 11′, in order to work or process different surfaces to be filled, filler materials and/or fill volumes. For transporting and delivering the filler material to the conveying belt 20, the dispensing device 10′ has in turn a funnel-shaped hopper 40, in which this filler material is received. In this dispensing device 10′, too, metering means 32, 32′ mounted to the left and right of the funnel-shaped hopper 40 form a corresponding gap together with the conveying belt 20, via which gap a desired output volume of the filler material can be set depending on the metering means 32, 32′, which are designed as slides. Otherwise, the dispensing device 10′ shown here is likewise outfitted with a chassis 50, 50′ and a traction device 51, via which it is easily maneuverable in both directions of travel.

In principle, however, both of the above-described embodiments may also be self-propelled and/or outfitted with a main frame 11, 11′ which enables the mounting thereof or the carriage thereof on a vehicle. However, under appropriate maneuverability requirements on the dispensing devices 10, 10′, it may also be sensible to design these in a hand-operable manner. Here, an appropriate power supply for the operation of the deflection rollers 22, 22′, the distribution brushes 30, 30′ and/or the raising brushes 31, 31′ may be provided, or these may—for example in the case of smaller dispensing devices—also be mechanically coupled to a chassis of the dispensing device.

Claims filed now and in the future are without prejudice in the obtaining of broader protection.

If upon closer examination, in particular of the relevant prior art, it arises that one or the other feature is expedient for the object of the invention but is not decisively important, a formulation is, of course, envisioned even now which no longer comprises such a feature, in particular in the main claim. Even such a subcombination is covered by the disclosure of this application. It is further to be noted that the embodiments and variants of the invention described in the different exemplary embodiments and shown in the figures can be combined with one another as desired. Here, a single feature or a plurality of features can be interchanged with one another as desired. These combinations of features are likewise disclosed.

References given in the dependent claims indicate the further development of the subject of the main claim through the features of the respective sub-claim. However, these should not be construed as a waiver of the right to obtain independent, objective protection for the features of the related sub-claims.

Features which have been disclosed only in the description or even single characteristics from claims which comprise a plurality of features may be adopted at any time as of inventive relevance for distinguishing from the prior art in the independent claim or claims, even if such features have been mentioned in connection with other features or achieve particularly favorable results in connection with other features. 

1. A dispensing device for dispensing filler material onto a surface to be filled, comprising: a main frame; and at least one conveying belt guided thereon for delivering the filler material to at least one output portion, wherein both in and against a direction of travel, at least one distribution brush is arranged on the main frame behind the output portion for distributing the filler material on the surface to be filled.
 2. The dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein, both in and against the direction of travel at least one raising brush is arranged respectively on the main frame before the output portion for raising the fibers on the surface to be filled.
 3. The dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein at least one output portion is formed on a deflection roller of the conveying belt.
 4. The dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein a respective output portion is formed on deflection rollers on both sides of the conveying belt.
 5. The dispensing device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one output portion has a metering means for the filler material to be dispensed.
 6. The dispensing device according to claim 15, wherein the metering means is formed as a respective slide, which forms an adjustable output gap with the conveying belt.
 7. The dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the conveying belt at least partially forms a bottom surface of a funnel-shaped hopper for the filler material.
 8. The dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein at least one guide plate is provided for delivering the filler material in the direction of transport of the conveying belt.
 9. The dispensing device according to claim 8, wherein the guide plate is gable-shaped and arranged above the conveying belt.
 10. The dispensing device according to claim 9, wherein the guide plate is arranged approximately centrally between two deflection rollers of the conveying belt.
 11. The dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein a grate for filtering and/or loosening the filler material is arranged above the conveying belt.
 12. The dispensing device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one distribution brush is driven in one of (a) a rotatory manner and (b) a rotatory manner oscillating about a vertical axis.
 13. The dispensing device according to claim 12, wherein the raising brush is driven in one of (a) a rotatory manner and (b) a rotatory manner oscillating about a horizontal axis.
 14. The dispensing device according to claim 13, wherein the at east one distribution brush and/or the at least raising brush are each height-adjustably mounted on the main frame.
 15. The dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the main frame has at least one chassis for the movement of said main frame across a surface to be filled.
 16. The dispensing device according to claim 15, wherein the at least one chassis self-propelled.
 17. The dispensing device according to claim 15, wherein the main frame has a traction device and/or a mounting device.
 18. The dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the conveying direction of the conveying belt is parallel or antiparallel to the direction of movement of the dispensing device.
 19. The dispensing device according to claim 15, wherein the width of the conveying belt. corresponds to a track width of the chassis, or at least 50%, 70% or 90% of a track width of the chassis. 